Starship Troopers, The Marauders
by L.M. Dodger
Summary: This story is about a group in the federation, the Marauders, best of the best. This story jumps from different soldiers in the story.
1. Chapter 1

**Introduction**

--------------Weapons--------------------

Morita Mk 2: This is the standard issue assault rifle for the mobile infantry it is latched on with either a scatter or a grenade launcher. Just so you know a scatter is small

Shotgun M2C sniper rifle: It is what it says

Mobile infantry tactical assault shotgun (mitas): This baby is probably a weapon you can make quick work of a bug. 2 direct hits takes a warrior down and 4 for a tiger.

Mobile pack rocket launcher: Big baby, can fire rockets or tack nukes. You'll love it.

Secret weapons: If you followed the rules like a good little role player I'll give ya one of these.

----------------Bugs-----------------

Warriors: AWWW he wants to hug you... Nope... Just kill you. These are the most common bugs you'll find. They are incredibly strong and really tough to take down. Are always in large numbers. If you want to kill it you'll need at least 3 or 4 more troopers with you who have a morita.

Tigers: Run...Go Now... These are like the elite of the bug army. Twice as strong almost, 10 times as tough, and 3000 times nastier then the warriors. Only seen in large numbers on Capricorn. If you are with a morita. Get 9 to 11 other troopers to help you take one down. Or you'll just make it mad.

Hoppers: The fly variety of the bugs. Super fast and incredibly accurate. They are different from the warriors since they are smaller and green. They also have sharp blades on they're arms for impaling and slicing.

Tankers: heavy support for the bugs very large in size and fire napalm from there beaks

Plasma bug: artillery support for the bug army one blast can extremely damage a federation cruiser so be careful.

King tigers: AWWWW this guy just made our day. These cute little fellers are bigger then tankers. Morita wont harm it, mitas wont blast it and rockets will just tickle it. Rarely seen in any planet. If you see one of these coming at you. Run... Run for your life. Good thing there really slow.

Brain bug: the general of a hive. These guys learn about us by sucking out our brains for information. Nice eh?

The Soldiers 

Name: Mikel kern

Age: 27

Rank: captain

Name: Shinoskay

Age: 27

Rank: squad commander

Name: Jack Stryker

Age: 34

Rank: Master Sergeant

Bio: Joining the Mobile Infantry after the bug attack on Buenos Aires, Jack was one of the lucky few to survive the Klendathu massacre unharmed, he fought in more battles against the bugs, taking pride in each and every bug he manages to down. He stands 6' tall, weighs 187 pounds, and has brown eyes with brown hair cut short in normal military style.

Name: Jonathan Asher

Codename: Blacktail

Age: 27

Rank: Staff Sergeant

Bio: As one of the few transfers from the Space Special Forces, Blacktail was moved to the Marauders on an assignment to Capricorn. Trained in survival, urban warfare, and improvised munitions, he has never faced the bugs outside of training scenarios (Which, by the way, did NOT prepare him fro the real thing.) Although skilled in the use of the M.I.T.A.S., he is carrying standard equipment

Name: Celab Feire

Age: 22

Rank: first lieutenant

Bio: wears the standard gear, but has a modified helmet that has night and thermal vision, as well as having a weapon-uplink in his suit, which allows his visor to help him aim better without the use of the sights sensors in his gloves uplink with the weapon and send the data to the visor, giving him a reticule of sorts in the direction he aims it. Helps with sniping, since it can also zoom in, and has a video uplink system.

Name: Lance Caladgo

Age: 23

Rank: Corporal

Name: Octane Paton

Age: 21

Rank: 2nd Lieutenant

Name: Joaquim Meyers

Rank: Private 1st Class

Age: 24

Name: Leah Feaster

Age: 19

Rank: Private 1st Class

Name: Blanc Andrens

Age: 21

Rank: 2nd Lieutenant

Bio: None. He has no memory, so he knows nothing, and fears nothing.

Name: Galig Aromedes

Age: 20

Rank: Private

Bio: A soldier that was pulled into the recruitment after he received a notice saying that his brother was killed. He joined the army in hopes of killing every bug he could find.

Chapter 1 Touchdown 

Onboard a class-3 frigate known as the executor in the deployment room of 400 other troopers.

Alarm: "All troopers to the launch station give 'em hell marauders!"

Trooper: "LETS MOVE LETS MOVE!"

Other trooper: "COME ON YOU APES DO YOU WANNA LIVE FOREVER!!"

Mikel was already standing in a drop ship with death from above painted on the side his left arm is replaced with a mechanical one and a scar is running down his right eye and part of his cheek and chin.

"COME ON LETS MOVE!"

Celab placed his hand on Mikel's shoulder, grinning.

"Alright moving, boss. C'mon, or your going to miss the bus to hell!"

Lance took his place on the drop ship, locking himself in place and clutching his rifle tightly.

"Let's just hope the party hasn't started yet. I hate being late!"

The troopers where strapped in and the drop ships where sent off.

"Once we land Celab cover our rear with your squad. Lance Jack, with me. Shinoskay and Blacktail check our sides. Were landing in a hot zone so be careful"

Mike made his way up to the pilot port.

"What we got?"

Pilot: "We got over 300 bugs and counting waiting for us in the lz I think I can crush a few on the landing."

"Thanks alright men load up now we gotta storm the lz bugs are everywhere."

Blacktail looked over his rifle.

"And lo, God wished for an invincible army, and the gates of hell opened...Let's show 'em why were called Marauders!"

He smiled, his rifle ready.

The drop ships landed and the hatches open. But when we made our way to the dirt a warrior bug appeared from the side and grabbed one of the troopers in-between his jaws.

Trooper: "OH MY GOD SOME ONE HELP ME PLEASE HELP ME AHHHHHH!"

The trooper was then snapped in half and the warrior made its way to us but was cut off by several other troopers who all fired at it stunning it and pushing it back.

"GO! GO! GO!!!" The warrior bug was then cut down but the troopers kept firing at it till it stopped moving.

Blacktail was horrified. He had watched the trooper be impaled, and then looked at the bug. The thing was hideous, and it took all of his self-control to keep from pissing himself. His rifle barked, bringing him back to his senses, and he aided the troopers in killing the bug.

"Let's GO!!"

Trooper: "WE GOT MORE WARRIORS SIR THERES MILLONS OF THEM!!!!"

"How many millions trooper?" The bugs stood all over the hill above us screeching and chattering.

"FIRE DAMMIT! GIVE 'EM ALL YOU GOT!"

Rifles and other weapons fired at the horde who where being cut down but the millions of bullets hitting them at a time.

Trooper: "THESE GUYS AINT GOING DOWN!!!"

A trooper in front of Serin screamed in pain as an arachnid stabbed him with its claws and then smash him into the ground and continued to maul him with his claws.

Trooper: "OH MY GOD THEY'RE EVER----"

He was then mauled by 10 different warriors.

"Stay close troopers!"

Shinoskay started to shoot off at the bugs as he ran next to Mikel.

A bug cut ran straight at Mikel and dropped him to his back.

"AHHH"

Mikel looked at the beast in utter horror but overcame his fear and fired into it until it panicked and ran back into the swarm and disappeared.

"Close call."

When the bug ran back in the swarm, Shinoskay move between where the bug went and Mikel as to be a human shield case it returned.

"Sir, are you ok."

Jack ran up next to Mikel, crouching and firing into the swarm of bugs.

"We got to find somewhere to defend ourselves, sir! We'll be overrun at this rate." One bug went down in the swarm, twitching its legs before being trampled by its own brethren.

Shinoskay adjusted his gun and shot 2 grenades into the swarm. He then reset it and reloaded, continuing to fire off into the swarm.

"I'm alright."

Trooper: "SIR!! HQ says there's a abandoned outpost in sector a. 3"

"Alright good work trooper. ALRIGHT EVERYONE LETS MOVE!"

As the troopers withdrew from the swarm 10 troopers where cut off from the others and stabbed and eaten by the swarm.

Shinoskay stayed close to Mikel.

Blacktail grabbed his rifle, priming his Scatter with a shell. He ran toward Mikel, and followed him.

"Let's get going!" He was on the lookout, ready to fire his scatter in case another Bug popped out.

Trooper: "SIR LOOK!"

The troopers reached sector a. 3 and the outpost was still in tact.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Sector A.3 

"Alright lets get in and shut the gates! MOVE! MOVE!"

Blacktail began to run, when he spotted a glimmer of light out of the corner of his eye, sitting in a nearby alleyway.

"Sir, watch out!"

Blacktail moved ahead, and shot at the sparkle. The bug roared, and he froze for a bit, beginning to shoot again.

"SCOUT BUG!!"

The platoon opened fire on the bug killing it.

"Damn... They'll be here by sunrise... Ok guys let's get into that outpost."

The entire platoon ran into the outpost.

"Alright men take 5, but listen up. The bugs are regrouping and will most likely be here by sunrise...for those who just tasted combat. Welcome to the big leagues... for those who have fought the bugs before. Believe me you ain't seen nothing yet."

Shinoskay didn't wait to listen to Mikel's speech, he immediately ran up the nearest stairs to reach the roof. Once he reached the roof he ran to the side and surveyed the surrounding hoping to not see any bugs _'They're not surprising me.'_

Celab reloaded his rifle, counting his squad's casualties. He counted two... John and Andy.

"Damn... they fought hard." He leaned against the wall, wiping off sweat from his head.

Lance sat down, wrapping a bandage around the hole in his left shoulder, his rifle missing.

"How many are there of us left?"

No one wanted to answer that question, but one trooper's voice rose above the rest, "By the signs of the casualties...25 of us." A few troopers turned to try and figure out who said it, but the trooper was gone. Behind a box was a trooper cleaning there gun, there was a sniffle as a tear dropped onto the gun.

Jack entered with the rest, looking around for any surprises.

"Too many god men..."

Ejecting the nearly empty clip from his rifle, he shoved another one in, giving the weapon a smack to check that the clip was secure.

"What do we do from here?"

Blacktail breathed in a gulp of air, calming his nerves. He dropped the near-empty clip, popping in a fresh mag, and checked to see that his scatter was still loaded.

"Damn insects..."

Celab sighs as he puts his rifle down, pulling out his canteen and drinking some water. He wiped off blood from his cheek, and looked up at the sky.

"Those bugs must die..."

After finally being satisfied, Shinoskay quickly ran back in to check any automated defenses the base may have.

Lance stood up after tightening the bandage, upholstering his pistol.

"I'm gonna check the interior of the outpost for any surprises, be back in a few." He disappeared through a door that led into the bases interior.

Blacktail nods, and follows after him in case any bugs decide to try and ambush him as he moves in deeper.

Mikel put his hands on Shinoskay's shoulder.

"... What are doing in here alone trooper?"

Jack moved to the walls of the outpost. Everyone else could worry about what was inside, but he worried more about what could come from outside. Looking over the wall, he began moving along it, searching as far as he could see.

Mike walked out of the outpost with Shinoskay.

"Look what we found boys."

Mike opened a crate to reveal weapons and a few prototypes.

"Serin."

Throws him a mitas.

"Octane."

Throws him a rocket pack.

"Lance."

Throws him a morita mark 3.

"Jack."

Throws him a m2c sniper rifle.

"And this ones for me."

Mike grins when he brings a morita mark 6 gattalling prototype from the crate. Mike throws Shinoskay a mitas.

"Hope your good with these major."

Shinoskay saluted Mikel.

"Sir, yes I can sir."

Blacktail checked his MITAS ammo, and loaded up some rounds, cocking the shotgun.

"Thank ya kindly."

Lance checked his weapon nonchalantly, but smirked as he shouldered it.

"These babies should be our standard weapons..."

He slung it on his back and walked over to Mike.

"Sir, the base looks devoid of human life. Bodies, both bug and human, are around the place, but that's it. No holes in any floors, no visible breaches in the walls. Comp set up looks like it works though."

Jack quickly went over the new rifle, checking the scope and sights. Assured that it would do its job, and then some, he slapped a clip into it and began surveying the landscape with the scope.

A noise is heard in one of the deserted outpost's locker rooms. There seems to be a struggle going on inside. Eventually, one of the lockers break open, and a marine fall out of it. That marine is, Joaquim Meyers. When the platoon was being overrun, he got too scared and ran for his life. He eventually reached this deserted outpost, where he promptly hid in one of the lockers. He was there for a time, before he heard noises around. Human noises. _'I'm saved!'_ He broke out.

"HELLO! ANYONE HUMAN AROUND HERE?"

'_I hope someone will respond.'_

During Shinoskay search of the base he heard noises in a locker. Shinoskay approached the locker and out popped a marine. Shinoskay brought his mitas up to the marine's head and almost shot him. But before Shinoskay shot he realized the marine wasn't a bug.

"What in the blazes where you doing in there. And don't yell your 2 feet from me."

"Whoa. Sorry sir, I didn't see you there. When the bugs overran my platoon, I got cold feet and hi-tailed out of there. I somehow reached this place and hid in one of the rooms."

'_Oh boy, this guy is gonna let me have it!'_

Shinoskay looked at the marine with a look of great displeasure.

"You ran, you RAN grrr."

He calms down.

"Well report to Mikel,"

He smirks he then gets some evil eyes.

"and he shell pass judgment."

His eyes return to normal. Shinoskay signals for the marine to follow as he heads towards Mikel. Once Shinoskay found Mikel he saluted Mikel

"Sir, I found a coward hiding in the lockers."

When Shinoskay walked out of the inner area with a kid who look like he had just shit himself. A trooper who was sitting behind a box now had hoped up onto it as their steel blue eyes glare at the kid. When the trooper stood up from the box some of the others who had barely saw this trooper were gaping. This was a girl!

Celab was too busy picking out a weapon to notice the new marine. He picked up a Mitas and extra rounds, loading it quickly.

"This baby will come in handy."

He also grabbed some grenades. He grabbed a sniper and went to the top and helped jack watch the area for bugs, using his helmet's thermal to see hoppers easier.

Octane caught the rocket launcher with both hands, shouldering slightly under the weight but pulling it up over his shoulder, checking to make sure it was loaded. He nodded at Mike.

"Nice. I'd like to see what it does standing up against a real bug."

Octane grinned, showing his remarkably long canine teeth. He glanced around.

"Where to next?"

Mikel realized Shinoskay brought him a soldier.

"... So you ran... You know I don't see why the federation still has marines... Troopers are the way to go... So what's your use."

Aims morita mk 6 at the marines head. "I've seen the morita mk 6 in action... Fires 1200 full metal jacket rounds with big velocity... When the bullet collides with something it explodes to make sure the target is either dead or injured fatally... Do you know what that can do to a human skull... I WANT A GOD DAMN ANSWER MARINE!"

The girl had a regular mk in hand, but right now no one noticed it all they saw was the anger on her face. Her hand tighten on the gun, but she kepted stance. If Captain Kern didn't have a hold of the coward she would have asked to kick his ass to the bugs.

Octane leaned back on his rocket launcher, grinning evilly. This is what he lived for... His fellow soldier's punishment for doing that of cowardice.

"SIR, THE MORITA MK 6, WHEN SHOT AT A HUMAN SKULL, WILL MAKE SAID SKULL, AND WHAT'S INSIDE AND AROUND IT EXPLODE IN A BLOODY MESS OF BLOOD AND BRAINS, SIR!"

'_I'm scared as hell at the moment. Here, there is a superior aiming a weapon at my head, the look in his face looking like he means business. But, I'm not going to cry. No sire. I know now I have a job to do.' _

"If you will allow me to speak sir, I would like to say something!"

He is still aiming at the troopers head.

"Permission granted. You got 1 minute."

"I know it is a bit too late to say so, but I apologize for my cowardice. Not only to you, but to my fellow soldiers out in the field that I have abandoned. The way I have acted is not befitting for a trooper. I know it is too late to make up for the men I have abandoned, but I can still fight, sir! If you will allow me, I wish to help whatever men are still alive in this abandoned area! Also, I also apologize if my words make me sound too weak! I can fight! As long as I got one working arm and hand, I will fight!"

'_By God, I meant every word that I have said. I hope he doesn't kill me!'_

Mikel reaches out to the trooper and grabs his neck with his mechanical arm.

"You have one last chance... If I see you abandon post again I'll hand you over to the bugs personally and let them rip your guts out..."

He drops him.

"Name and rank trooper..."

The girl growled when Kern allowed this coward in.

"Sir permission to kick this coward's ass before the next battle with the bugs."

Mikel glances over at the girl.

"Permission denied. Private Feaster."

Feaster nods, but mumbles under her breath.

"Damn."

She then heads to the corner side of the roof. On her way up she heard some whistles. Her hand raised, but it wasn't her gun it was just the finger.

Octane's eyes narrowed. Even if he can still fight, his cowardice might kick in again. He was tempted to raise his launcher to the trooper's head himself... Nobody could leave a man on the field for his own fucking sake...

"I'd like to rip them out myself if he does it again..."

Octane sounded pretty mad.

Shinoskay walked towards Octane.

"A superior officer has spoken. Hold no grudge towards him,"

Shinoskay looks at the trooper with an evil grin.

"But if he does run we will all gladly rip his guts out."

Looks at octane and nods.

Octane glanced at Shinoskay.

"Don't order me around, and don't think you're even with me. We may be on the same side, but that doesn't mean I have to like you."

He walked over to the wall, leaning against it. He hefted the launcher onto his shoulder again, ready to fire if he got anymore pissed.

"Octane...lighten up. And who said you can arm your launcher near friendly stations?"

Jack gave Mikel a cold glance, and put his launcher on the ground, turning the safety on.

"Sir, my name is Joaquim Meyers, Sir! Ranked Private First Class, Sir! What are my orders?"

Shinoskay smirked at Octane and crossed his arms.

"I never said you we're my equal, matter of fact I think quite the opposite."

At that Shinoskay went to the roof again.

Blacktail held his MITAS close, still on the lookout. He had seen soldier's wild out before, and he knew that it could be deadly. He ignored the counseling Mikel was giving him, already used to hearing eschewing from other sources.

Shinoskay reached the roof and walked over to the trooper up there.

"See anything"

Jack had his gun out at Shinoskay's head, but he held his temper and didn't fire. He frowned and looked at Mike.

"No grantees I won't accidentally slip and blow his brains out... I need to vent some anger Captain, any bugs nearby?"

Shinoskay lifted his mitas on his shoulder and pointed it at jack's head.

"Are you ready to die, I am. I'll let this whole place get blown away just to win. You want to go let's go."

Shinoskay flipped his safety off and waited for Octane's move.

Mikel fired his mk6 into the air.

"YOU TWO DROP YOUR WEAPONS OR YOU WILL BOTH BE COURT MARSHALLED FOR FRIENDLY FIRE DO YOU GET ME?!"

Shinoskay glared at Octane, then lowered his mitas to his side and saluted Mikel.

"Sir."

Octane looked at Mike, and then grinned at Shinoskay.

"Look, I don't like you, and crap don't want you dead for some reason I can't comprehend, so shut up and don't talk to me unless Cap' says so."

Shinoskay stopped for a sec then looked over his shoulder with a cold look at jack. Shinoskay then smirked and started walking again.

Mikel walked up to Octane grabbing his collar with the mechanical arm.

"Listen up lieutenant. I've been hearing things about you not getting along with the rest of the squad. We are the goddamn marauders. And since you were recruited I've been getting nothing but trouble. Either get your act together or I'll be shipping you back the federation in a body bag."

Mikel let go of his collar and went into his tent with a screwdriver and started to work gears on his fake arm.

Shinoskay continued walking but looked back and smirked again at what Mikel did. _'It's good to know we have a leader that can maintain discipline.'_

Octane stepped back, looking in his captain's direction... He raised his gun as the captain entered the tent... Octane put his gun at his side and sat down. He began cleaning it angrily, about ready to shoot Shino's head off.

The girl stood stiff as a board as she sensed a gun being pointed at her superior's head. She turned seeing Octane lowering the gun. Her hand tighten on the trigger firing a round an inch away from her foot. Everyone turned and stared at her. She had an embarrassed look on her face.

"Sorry."

She turned back around knelling so her eyes were even with the wall.

Shinoskay reached the roof and walked over to the trooper up there.

"You ok trooper?"

She looked at the young man who had asked her the question he had beautiful eyes. A slight blush hinted her cheeks she quickly turned back to the landscape.

"Y-yes sir."

"Good do you see anything yet?"

"No sir."

A few hours later she was dismissed to get off guard duty.

It was 9:00 in the morning now and a patrol broke the news.

Trooper: BUUUUGGGS! WE GOT BUGS!

Mikel woke and arose quickly to wake up some of the sleeping troopers.

"COME ON TROOPERS WE GOT TROUBLE!"

Shinoskay rushes from the roof to Mikel. "SIR! BUGS!"

The trooper ran out of her tent pulling on her helmet stuffing in her brown hair. She ran up to the roof loading her gun on the way up there along with everyone else.

The troopers ran to the walls and loaded up there guns

"Alright men time to test out your new toys.. Caleb, Blacktail, Shin…. and Leah wait for the bugs to get close then fire off your rounds when they mass on the walls Stryker take to the roof and pick off any hoppers or tigers it may cause panic in there ranks. Jack use your rocket pack if you see any tanker or to clear away massive hordes. New guy. Time to earn your respect back get to the walls with the other troopers and defend it Lance since you got the mk 4 your with me we can clear away the bugs that get over the walls. Miranda and Jose you're on tower make sure those static guns do their jobs. Rest of you to the walls!"

Troopers: "HOOAH!"

Shinoskay ran to the wall and loaded up his mitas he had never put down then readied his mk.

Blacktail readied his MITAS, finding some cover to get behind. He positioned the shotgun at his target area, ready to catch 'em if they came.

"If they get too thick, hit 'em with a wall of lead."

The bugs where coming in the thousands squirming and screeching in there advance.

"Ready troopers...reeadddy troooopeers... FIRE!"

The troopers unloaded on the bugs with wave after wave of morita fire and grenades as bugs fell to the ground in a bloody heap.

"STATIC GUNS LET EM HAVE IT!"

The towers opened fire on the wave of never ending bugs as they started to pile up against each other twitching and bleeding.

"Lets see what this baby can do"

Mikel pulled the trigger on his mk6 blowing away bugs legs and beaks as they screech in pain "Damn... we got some powerful stuff here."

Leah heard the explosion near Mikel she looks over and sees his Mk 6 firing, _'Damn that is a nice gun.'_

Shinoskay was spilling led like crazy unloading and loading at almost to intense of a speed. Shinoskay started to recite the trooper code over and over again.

Jack grinned lightly. Maybe he'd slip. He pulled his rocket launcher over his shoulder, and fired at a large mass, hoping to blow it off the walls, while pulling out his smaller gun with his other hand, aiming it and shooting at a nearby bugs head.

As the bugs got closer Shinoskay switch to his shoty and started to blow the fuck out o the bugs.

Jack sighted in from the roof, lying down on top of it to create much less of a target for any Hoppers. He pulled the trigger over and over again, sending round after round into an unlucky Tiger. After putting in over half a clip into the bug, it finally went down, its legs pushing it as they twitched. Keying his comp, he called the commander.

"Sir, incoming Tigers. Last bug needed half my damn clip. No sign of any Hoppers yet."

Blacktail let the bugs get into the hall, and then began to unload with his MITA.

Lance took a grenade of his belt and tossed it into the crowd of bugs, sending 4 or 5 flying.

"Keep it coming, I could do this all day..."

Mikel fired into incoming tigers and warriors.

"DAMMIT WE CANT KEEP DOING THIS!"

The corpses started to build up and the arachnids used their dead brethrens to climb our walls.

Trooper: "THERE GETTING CLOSER!!!"

The trooper tried to get his distance from the bugs but was stabbed by the bug and thrown into the horde.

"GET YOUR DISTANCE!"

Mikel fired into a tiger bringing it down.

Jack pulled his smaller gun up and fired it into a bug's head, then was hit with an idea.

"If we get rid of the dead bodies, they can't limb up the walls! Rockets and missiles could blow the things to pieces! Should I fire into the bodies!?"

He aimed his smaller gun at another bug's head.

"GO FOR IT TROOPER!"

Mikel fired into another warrior.

"THEY KEEP COMING!"

Jack backed up a little, pulling his launcher over his arm, and then charged to the edge of the wall. He took aim at the largest chunk of bugs, hoping to blow them to pieces.

Shinoskay heard Jack's plan and lobbed a few grenades into the dead bodies to help the clearing. Shinoskay continued to chant the trooper code cept now he was saying it loud enough for most to hear.

Leah was firing like crazy filling up all the bugs in her sights with lead.

"DIE YOU MOTHER FUCKERS! DIE!"

She grinned and threw a grenade as far as she could which landed in the middle of a crowd of bugs. Blowing them to pieces. She then notice the bugs getting closer her grin fading she backs up to keep her distance but they were getting closer. Her face fills with fear.

Shinoskay looked around for any places that needed support and saw the girl being overwhelmed. Shinoskay ran to her and started pumping his shotgun off.

Mikel was firing into a pile of bugs when a tiger snuck up a bit off his remaining arm

"AHHHHHHH!"

Mikel fell of the wall and shot at the bug with his remaining arm

"MEDIC! M---medic!"

She glanced over to Shinoskay, and nodded a thank you. Kept on firing and start praying to whatever God there is up there.

Jack decided the rocket launcher was too much dead weight. Useful weight, but dead wasn't good. It was slowing him down dramatically. He fired it off at the bugs going for Mike, and another rocket going for a bug halfway up the wall. Jack pulled out an extra Morita, dropping the now empty rocket launcher. He started firing with both guns, with repeatedly deadly accuracy.

"Hold on, Captain!"

Jack started rushing towards where Mike fell.

Mikel was not looking to go his gunfire wasn't accurate any more and his vision was blurry.

"M-----med-----me----medic!"

She hears her caption saying something but she can't understand what he's say's over all the gunfire, screeching from the bugs, Shinoskay chanting the trooper code, and the roaring in her ears.

Shinoskay stayed by the girl blasting away at any bugs that got to close.

Blacktail begins to make the move toward the captain, firing on a bug that was moving in close. He pointed to Leah.

"You! Get your ass over here and cover me!"

He moves over to the captain, and takes his stem pack, shooting him in the neck with a needle to stop the bleeding and the pain. He then begins to drag him to safety, totally unarmed.

"COVER ME!!!"

She ran over to Blacktail and kept firing at bugs that got to close to the caption_. 'Hang on caption. Just hang on a little longer.'_

Shinoskay noticed Leah's attempt and started to move with her speeding her approach.

Blacktail was still dragging the captain back to safety.

"Where's my cover fire?!"

A bug approached, one of its claws sinking into his shoulder. He used his left hand, grabbing his captain's rifle, and fired a burst into its skull, then collapsing to the ground. He crawled, dragging the captain with him.

"HELP ME OUT!"

Leah is still firing all of sudden she hears a click and realizes she is out of ammo. She grabs the empty clip rips it out, hocks it, and shoves a new one in.

"SHUT UP SIR WE ARE COVERING YOU AS MUCH AS WE CAN! JUST KEEPING GETTING HIM TO SAFTEY!"

Blacktail continues to use his good arm to hold onto his captain, crawling along the ground to get him to safety. His blood was making a trail on the floor, and if someone didn't act fast, they would have two casualties.

"HEY YOU!"

She points at Shinoskay. While grabbing the captain's legs trying to help Blacktail out as much as he can.

"GIVE ME A HAND OVER HERE!"

Leah and Blacktail makes it behind some cover, reaching into her own stem pack, and injecting the hypo into Blacktail.

He feels the bleeding stop, nearly fainting at the sight of the huge hole in his shoulder. He looks over to his captain, and begins to empty the clip from his rifle, changing it out while he rests the weapon on the ground, his other arm-hanging limp at his side.

She stands next to Blacktail and starts firing at the bugs. Her eye starts twitching. Trying to stay in control and not to scream she keeps firing. Keeping in focus on her targets, she asks Blacktail.

"Sir I don't think we can hold out much longer. What should we do?"

"Dammit, these things keep coming!"

He would have helped with decimating the bodies, but he doesn't have any explosive weapons on him. He instead slowly backs over to Mike's position to cover him, while he keeps on firing.

She keeps on firing pulling out a grenade loads it into her gun and fires it into the pile of corpses.

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!"

She shook her head to get rid of the fear of dying and calms down. The explosion hits the bug corpses and they explode while the ones climbing up go flying or explode.

Downing another Tiger, Jack leapt to his feet, running back down. He couldn't stay there any longer, not with bugs already in the base. Slinging the sniper rifle to use his original rifle, he loaded it and burst out into the main area, firing into the bugs using the morita's shotgun. Though not as capable as the mitas, he could still down a Warrior in a couple shots. Slowly but surely, he began to work through the bugs, moving to where the troopers had moved the Captain.

Mikel told Leah to duck and he fired his mk6 into a incoming tiger bug and kept firing into the streaming hordes

"R-run"

The bugs stopped moving right in front of the squad.

Trooper: "What the hell is going on?"

The bugs let out a giant screech and moved away from the troopers and disappeared.

Medic: "GET ME A MECH ARM HERE STAT!"

Shinoskay and Leah were now at Mikel.

"Sir, are you ok."

The medic looked at both troopers.

Medic: "Its alright guys he's just has to get his new arm installed."

The medic injected Mikel with a vaccine to stop the bleeding then took the mech arm and let the metal bone jam into mikes wound.

Medic: "He'll be out for awhile. Quite a fighter I'll give him that."

"Finally, a breather."

For some reason, the bugs stop attacking. _'Maybe they're up to something, don't know. Whatever it is, I'm still keeping up my guard._'

Blacktail held onto the captain's rifle, ready to blast anything that moved. He looked to the medic, noting the hole in his shoulder.

"Anything you could do about that wound, doc?"

Shinoskay walked over to Blacktail.

"Soldier I request that gun. I'm going on the roof and will require it." Shinoskay said this with respect towards the soldier in his voice. He also looked at the female he helped.

"We should move to the roof to see what there doing and to check on our scout."

Blacktail looked up to the guy, and nodded over to his MITAS.

"That'll be of more use to you, soldier. Just make sure you bring it back, and stay alive, all right?"

Shinoskay ran up to the roof.

She ran up the slope towards the roof and stood beside Shinoskay.

"Sir, thank you for helping me back there."

Octane was out of ammo in both guns. Octane started backing up, even though they had stopped. He needed ammo. Everyone was gone...

"Shino, I need ammo."

Octane was, still watching out for the bugs. If they did anything suspicious, he'd see it.

As Shinoskay ran to the stairs he heard Octane's cry. Shinoskay threw Octane his Mk

"Ya owe me."

When Shinoskay reached the roof and Leah was next to him.

"No problem."

Octane twirled the small gun round his finger, and then stopped it suddenly. He looked at his empty mk.

"I..."

Octane shrugged, and kneeled down by a downed trooper. He shuffled through the corpse until he found the Mk on the man, and checked for his extra ammo clips.

She watches the landscape for any bug-like movement.

Shinoskay looked at Leah, her eyes were so beautiful.

"So um what's your name?"

He extends hand

"I'm Shinoskay."

Her eyes widen as she turns to her eyes turn to normal as she grasps his hand and shakes it.

"Feaster. Leah Feaster, nice to meet you."

Jack glanced back at the two.

"Stop making foolish pleasantries and help me make use of the dead."

Jack finished loading his gun along with the dead troopers extra gun, and went on to the next. He'd have his share of ammo when he was done.

Releases his hand and turns to face the horizon again watching it.

Blacktail rests by a barrier, checking over his own Morita. He looked over to the captain, and then looked down at the bio-steel plates placed over the entry and exit wound on his arm. He grimaced a bit, and then returned to looking out, just thankful he was alive.

She growls as she turns back to the horizon as just stares at the horizon wondering what those damn bugs were up to. She started to get bored so she knells against the wall and puts her chin on top of her gun. Before she knows it she was asleep.

Mikel woke up in a stretcher with two mechanical arms.

"..."

He then rose from his tent and started commanding the troops.

Blacktail was sitting down beside the command tent, looking over his Morita. He handed the commander his rifle.

"Kept it ready for ya, sir."

Mikel picked up his mk6.

"Thanks trooper..."

Mikel sat down beside Blacktail and looked at his new arm

"What do I do now...I have no arms and as soon as the war is over they take these away from me."

"Okay, men! This is it! We're the reinforcements for the squads already fighting the bugs!"

The Sergeant bellowed at the new recruits. Everyone was nervous, except for one soldier, who was patiently waiting for the battle. The drop ship came down fast, sending up dust as the thrusters pointed down to slow the ship's approach.

"Alright, men! Move it!"

The soldiers jumped out of the drop ship quickly, moving around to secure the LZ.

"Clear!"

Rang out from all soldiers, but Blanc stayed at the front, aiming at the surrounding area.

"Clear!"

The rest of the men jumped out of the drop ship, and it rose back into the sky. A radio on Blanc's waist crackled. He picked it up and the Sergeant yelled on the other side.

_"Alright, men. You are to move to the existing camp where the main forces are. Be careful, I saw some bugs nearby. Roll out!" _

Blanc put the radio back.

"Alright, men. You heard the Sarge. Move out!"

The men ran in formation, securing every corner.

"Clear!"

Filled the air as every corner, nook, and cranny was checked.

'_This is odd. There are no bugs around...'_ The soldiers finally saw the camp where the main squad was.

"All right, soldiers take up positions and secure the camp. Medics, tend to the wounded. Move out! I'm going to meet with the commander of this base."

Blanc left as the soldiers moved about the base, intent on meeting the commander of the outpost.

Shinoskay saw soldiers approach and immediately smiled. _'Finally, we where gonna tear each other apart he'_

"SIR, REINFORCMENTS."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Sector G.3 

Mikel walked to the new commander and saluted.

"I am captain Mikel of the 501st marauders."

Shinoskay watched the scene from atop the tower while listening for any bug attacks.

Blanc saluted as well.

"2nd Lieutenant Blanc Andrens of the Earth Fleet, Sir! We were ordered here by Command to assist you and your men. My secondary mission, which was given to me alone, is to deliver this..."

He pulled a metal box from his pack, and the package beeped twice.

"...To the bugs. A gift for fighting us. It's only fair that we use it. It's a miniature Hydrogen bomb, with the power to disintegrate an asteroid. My men are yours to command, and so am I. I will, however, try to plant the bomb in the bug's main nest when I can."

Mikel looked at the nuke in curiosity.

"I don't think this is any stronger then the TAC model but what do I know eh." Mikel let out a tiny chuckle then armed his mk6

"Alright men. Time to kill us some bugs where moving out"

Shinoskay heard the orders and patted Leah on the back "Wake up Leah." Shinoskay started down the stairs.

Leah didn't realize she had dozed off until someone tapped her awake.

"I'm up!"

She saw everyone moving out and followed Shinoskay down the stairs. On the way down she grabbed some extra ammo.

As Shinoskay and Leah walked down the stairs,

"Yo, what happened back there, you ok."

She stared at Shinoskay confused.

"Back where?"

So this is what it's like here. Galig looked around at what was left of the troops sent here before them. They were scared and tired. _'The battles must've really took a toll on them. Well this is going to be hell'_

Mikel was moving with his weapon at ready, He heard a noise coming from the distance.

"Shin, Leah cover our rears. The rest of you with me"

The team made its way down the canyon and Mikel heard the noise again he whispered

"We got company alright mean Zulu Formation"

The troopers made a circle like formation with guns pointing in every direction.

Leah nodded to the order and stood next to Shino at the same walking backwards. For a few minutes everything was silent except the footsteps of the troopers behind her all of a sudden she heard a noise. Mike gave the Zulu Formation so she moved with the rest of the men to form a circle.

Mikel noticed rocks falling from his right.

"Leah with me. The rest cover us and stay in formation "

Mikel made his way to the walls.

She followed Mike to the falling rocks hearing faint scratching noises.

"What is that?"

Mikel heard the notices two and stuttered.

"Leah... I want you to get back to the others slowly don't make any faint movement."

She backed up slowly watching where the sounds were coming from her finger resting on her trigger. She stops when she reached back to where the others were and kept on watching where the noises were coming from.

Shinoskay was watching Leah and Mikel and they're surrounding. Shinoskay noticed what Mikel had and slowly moved to cover Leah's slight retreat.

"Shh, carefully."

Mikel was still in his same spot trying not to move and aiming his gun at the movement.

"...SHIT"

Mikel turned around and began to run.

"GO! GO!"

The rock rose from the ground and turned into a king tiger bug as it screeched.

"FIRST ROW OPEN FIRE AIM FOR THE HEAD! SECOND ROW LOAD UP ANY EXPLOSIVE YOU GOT AND LET IT HAVE EM"

Leah had never seen a king tiger and she was about to scream when her instincts took over. She was backing up firing at the tiger's head. The bullets barely affecting it.

"FUCK!"

The king tiger roar's and began to move forward.

"DAMMIT LOAD UP THOSE ROCKETS ASAP!"

The ballistic squad loaded up there missiles and fired at its head doing the same damage a morita does to a warrior bug the king tiger backed up a little then swiped one of its claws grabbing one of the privates.

Trooper: "AHHHHHH!"

The trooper regained pace and fired at its arm trying to get free but the king tiger quickly snapped the trooper in two with its giant arms.

"MAN DOWN!"

All her senses were screaming at her to get the hell out of here, but she grabbed a grenade and shoved it in. She aimed at the king tiger's head and fired.

The grenade went down the king tigers throat and blew off half its head it screeched and fell to the ground. The troopers cheered.

"Nice job trooper"

Her jaw dropped when she saw this. Leah breathed a sigh of relief.

Trooper: "SIR! I'm getting readings on my comp."

Comp: "Th----sar----ma----w----we-----we need----reinforcements-----se-----g.8"

"There were other troopers?"

New trooper: "Yes sir fleet thought you could use some help so they sent 30 more drop ships "

"alright troopers where heading out"

She waited to follow until everybody was in front of her then she started to follow sweeping her gun back and forth across the area.

They reached an outpost at sector g6.

"HALT"

A younger trooper walked up to the walls.

Trooper: "Holy sh--- HEY GUYS ITS THE MARAUDERS!"

The gates opened and the troopers cheered to see us arrive. Mikel looked around the outpost had thousands of dead bugs.

"What happened here?"

Trooper: "Bug attack 14 wounded 2 dead sir."

"How did you get so much ammo?"

Trooper: "We're the roughnecks sir. We get all the new equipment first and we get ammo drop from fleet every 5 hours."

"What's going on?"

trooper: "The federation decided since the bug count is enormous on Capricorn we would launch a full scale invasion of the planet. Everyone's here. Roughnecks, dead leopards, bug zappers, the volunteer units."

"Is this the only base?"

Trooper: "No sir we got 20 more bases around the planet. And a HQ 50 miles north."

"What's at HQ?"

Trooper: "15 drop ships, 16 artillery guns, 50 tac nukes, and 80 fighters. Followed by 50,000 troopers and 6 command squads."

Mikel noticed that half of the roughnecks had Mk6's

"You said you needed reinforcements I don't see the problem."

trooper: "There is sir... a giant swarm of tigers with 3 king tigers is heading this way. We have mk4's for all your troopers."

"Good they're probably tired of mk2's anyway."

Mikel made his way back to his platoon.

"Alright troopers. We have the biggest fight of our lives ahead of us. You're all getting the new mk4 models. It'll blow a hole through tigers in seconds. Reload and take 5"

_'Finally a break.'_ She walked in and just leaned against a wall. She pulled out the empty clip and puts in a new clip.

Mikel walked up to Leah and handed her the new rifle.

"PFC Feaster. You have proven your worth to the marauders. You have shown outstanding bravery when most ran and have fought like you have been fighting for years. I guess you deserve a promotion."

Mikel smiled and saluted.

"PFC Feaster. I am proud to promote you to Corporal. Congratulations."

She blinked a few times and saluted.

"Thank you sir!"

Mikel made his way to the ammo bay to load up on MK6 ammo a trooper was doing the same.

"Do you know the time the bugs will attack?"

Trooper: "About 3 hours sir"

Mikel nodded and went back to the walls where marauders where eating and drinking.

After getting some ammo she sits with the rest of the marauders and grabbing some food she rests her head against the wall.

Mikel was fixing up his metal arms

"You guys here the news?"

"Yeah. This is going to be one hell of a fight."

Remembering the last fight with a king tiger the marauders barely escaping with there lives.

A trooper was making a steel tombstone with the inscription _"Andrew J Lukas Born: 2203 died: 2220" _

Trooper: "He was so young. Then those damn bugs used him as a damn chew toy."

Trooper 2: "Its ok man come on lets go get you something to eat"

Mikel frowned at the sight "We all lost someone in this war"

"Sir we also almost lost you. If you had died so would the marauders." Chewing her food and swallows.

Mikel laughed.

"Yah but I'm still standing"

He swallowed his food.

"Everyone get some sleep you'll need it.

Leah smirked and finished eating her food. She closed her eyes and went to sleep.

"Good. Men, load your new guns and get used to them quickly. We're going to fight again."

Blanc put an ammo clip inside his new Mk4 and cocked it. The gun gave a loud clicking as it loaded ammo into the chamber. Blanc smiled.

"Nice."

His men followed suit, loading their guns and a series of clicks rang through the air.

"Good. All right, then. We're ready to fight!"

'_I just hope that we can beat these King Tigers.'_

"All right, we some time before the attack. Get some food for yourselves, and get a little shut-eye if you need. I'm just going to sleep."

He sat onto the ground and closed his eyes, quickly falling asleep.

Galig thought to himself while taking a seat nearby.

"This is really hell. This is war and I'm ready to fight."

He walked to the walls and scoured the terrain, inspecting the new gun given to him and grinned.

"This is for you big bro."

Mikel woke up and shook his head, the roughnecks where in a scramble to the walls.

Trooper: "BUUUUUUGGGSSS!!!"

The marauders rushed to there feet and ran up the walls. They where in shock thousands upon thousands of bugs there wave seemed endless with king tigers in the group.

Trooper: "Rico's Dozen To the right. Second platoon to the left, Marauders with us in the middle, WE NEED SOME DAMN TROOPERS ON THE TOWER GUNS!"

Galig heard the attack and awoke from where he was laying on the wall. He turned around to see thousands of bugs approaching. He grabbed his gun and began firing into the sea of bugs.

Leah awoke to hear shouts and the defying screeching from thousands of bugs. She ran to the wall and started to fire at the bugs.

Billons of bullets where being drove into the bug crowed. Mk6 ammo exploding into the tigers and mk4 ammo slicing into there armor.

Trooper: "TOWERS! OPEN FIRE ON THE KINGS!"

The tower troopers nodded and fired the turrets at the kings piercing its steel like hide.

Celab was woken awake by the sounds of screams and gunfire, and jumped up, firing off his sniper rifle at the bugs quickly.

"YOU INTURRUPTED MY NAAAAAP!"

A comp link trooper was under the gate steps.

Comp: "This is roughneck 80909 we need air strike destination g.3"

Fleet: "Roger that inbound in 20."

The marauders were trying to get rid of the dead bug pile around the walls so they couldn't climb over.

"THEY AINT BUDGIN! GUESS WERE GONNA NEED TO KILL EM ONE BY ONE"

Mikel fired into another tiger blowing it off the wall.

Galig was getting really angry now.

"Those damn bugs are smart enough for that?"

He gunned another one while backing towards the nearest ramp.

"There's too many!"

She kept shooting and backing up trying not to get grabbed by a bug. _'This battle is just like sector a.3.'_ She shot down another bug. The bugs were getting closer by the minute.

Mikel was hold his position on the wall while the rest were backing up he fired into another bug blowing it away then a tiger bit down on his metallic arm.

"NOT THIS TIME"

While the tiger was trying to make Mikel loosen his grip Mikel shoved the barrel down its throat and pulled the trigger.

"RUN GO GET OUT OF HERE REGROUP WITH THE ROUGHNECKS!" Mikel jumped back to the wall and fire at the climbing horde.

She kept firing not moving anywhere but a little bit backwards. _'Not this time.'_

"RUN! I CAN HANDLE THIS! GO!"

Mikel fired into the tigers that made it over the walls bringing them down.

She swore under her breath. She turned and ran to where the roughnecks were located _'Good luck sir.'_

The bugs kept climbing the pile when two roughnecks with mk6's came to help Mikel all 3 fired into the horde killing 10's at a time.

Trooper: "SIR! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!"

"I'm fine trooper keep firing"

Another trooper came to help with a mk2 but was grabbed by a tiger.

Trooper: "AAHHHHHHHHHHH OH MY GOD SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD HELP ME! AUUUUUGGGHHHH!"

The trooper was split in two the lower torso thrown at one of the mk6 troopers and the top half thrown in front of Leah and the rest of the marauders.

Galig dashed down the ramp as he heard the order. The bugs kept coming over the walls. Re-grouped with the other soldiers and fired, everyone else was dead; they were the last ones alive. He spotted someone still on the wall, the commander of the group here. _'Oh god.'_ Was all he could think as the bugs kept coming?

She looked into the young troopers face and the commander's face was there instead. She shook her head and ran back to where Mike was and kept firing into the horde of bugs.

Mikel and the other three troopers fired into the crowed of bugs as they moved closer.

Trooper: "SIR! AIRSTRIKE INBOUND"

Mikel and the other four jumped of the wall and ran, as the bugs grew larger. Then 3 fighters flew over and the bugs started to run, the fighters let off 300 bombs each and every bug disintegrated in the flames. Troopers lifted their weapons in the air and cheers.

Trooper: "WOOOOHOOOOO!"

Mikel chuckled "Damn fleet always coming in last minute and stealing all the glory"

Leah jumps down with the others turning to watch the air strike. She cheers with the others glad that battle was temporarily over.

The skirmish was over for now.

Marauder: " 'EY we got link with fed public."

"News eh?"

Marauder: "Yah then we can get contact with our family."

"Alright marauders lets moved"

All the troopers met in a giant hall with a screen as big as a barn door.

Trooper: "we got link... neeeeeeoooww."

Shinoskay leaned against a nearby wall next to Leah and slid down. When he was sitting he placed his gun against his forehead he sighs.

"Leah, you alright. SIR, HOW MANY DID WE LOSE."

Mikel hushed Shinoskay,

"Shhhhh be quiet some troopers want to know how the second Big K is doing."

Leah nodded to Shino and looked at the screen. Waiting for it to clear up.

got up after the video ended.

"Well at least we're doing better then they are"

Galig let out a cheer and a sigh that the bugs were all dead. He turned to the screen and his happiness turned to horror as he saw what was happening on Big K. The sooner we finished here, the faster we can kill the rest. His anger was rising as he thought about what could've happened to his brother.

"So what do we do now?"

She was totally horrified to see what was going on at Big K. When the video finally ended she yelled with Galig.

"Yeah! What do we do now?!"

Mikel stood up at the angry crowd.

"QUIET!! We have our orders. There's a base in the middle of the planet called trench digger. The bug zappers are there. The base is heavily fortified with a giant trench around it with 30 artillery guns and 700 turrets. With 500 smaller trenches around it. Roughnecks presume your orders... marauders were leaving LETS HEAD OUT"

Blanc reloaded his gun and sighed. They had to hold the base while the Marauders moved to another base.

"Alright, men. Secure all viewpoints of this base and fortify them! I want everyone to be able to see everything from his or her positions! MOVE!"

The men quickly moved in and secured the positions around the base, entrance, walls and all.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Losing A Friend 

The troopers were walking around the fortress

"Damn look at the size of that thing"

The fortress walls seemed like it went up forever and the trenches where truck deep

"Come on troopers we got to get our trench positioned let's go find the commander."

Leah followed looking around seeing a ton of dead, bugs and human _'I got a bad feeling about this.'_ She eyed the surroundings nervously.

Celab stared around, looking for any heat signatures, as they walked to the new outpost with the others. His leg had healed up a bit and was able to walk without the bug leg, but he kept it anyways. It helped before, and it might again.

Mikel climbed into the trenches where a man with one arm the other replaced with a metallic one.

Man: "Captain..."

Mikel nodded at the man

"Sir I am looking for trenches for my team "

The man looked at Mikel and grunted.

Man: "We don't got any trenches left just some fox holes fortified with sand bags."

"Ill take anything,"

The man grunted again.

Man: "We got about 12 fox holes you could fit 3 men in each."

Mikel nodded and left.

"Leah and Caleb with me. The rest go find a fox hole and stay in it."

Celab ran up Mike, and asked him.

"Sir, I'd be more effective somewhere high up with good cover."

He held his sniper rifle up, and scanned the area again.

The man looked Caleb up and down and turned on his crutch. One of his legs missing.

Man: "Snipers are useless against a swarm. Take that rifle to good use and get into the fox holes."

"Argh. Now we're stuck on guard duty while the rest are off getting killed."

Galig thought to himself while trying to shove the bug's body off the wall. It didn't budge a bit. _'Eh I'll just leave it there as a shield.'_

"So we're just sitting here."

"Sir, no offense, but I'm a great shot. This visor gives me thermal, so combined with a scope; I'll be able to give everyone a heads up to when the bugs reach us. We have some other snipers, too, sir, which means we can help against the tigers if they come."

"Sir, I request permission to stay with you and Leah sir."

Mikel glanced at Shinoskay.

"Any reason marauder?"

"Shinoskay. Sir, one,"

He glances at Octane,

"I don't like the unfriendly atmosphere remaining here. Two, I wish to stay with you and Leah as I've become acquainted with you two. Three, its too crowded here and I hope your going to a less crowded area."

Mikel sighed.

"Permission granted to both of you."

He salutes.

"Sir, thank you sir"

Shinoskay quickly checks his gear and stands ready to fallow.

Celab nodded, salutes.

"Sir, thank you sir."

As he turned around, found a few good sniping spots, rounded up about two other snipers, and went to the best one as he pointed for the other two to go to the other spots as spotters went with them.

Mikel looked into the foxhole he would be spending some time in. It was deep and had stairs to stand on to fire over it. There were 4 turret guns each pointing north southeast and west and 3 TAC nuke launchers in a case on the lowest level.

"Well. This seems cozy"

"It's way too quiet here..."

Blanc looked around. His soldiers, minus Leah, were keeping a sharp eye all around the base. He was sure that the bugs had seen his drop ship from earlier, and that they may be preparing to attack.

Suddenly a few soldiers at the north wall yelled out: "SIR! BUGS AT 12 O'CLOCK!"

"Oh my god, look at the army they have!"

"We're gonna need bigger guns!"

Blanc ran to the north wall, climbing up the stairs they had set up. He made it to the top and looked out. The entire North hill was completely covered with Warrior bugs, along with a few Tanker bugs and Tiger bugs patrolling their front lines. A few Hoppers flew above their lines.

"...Shit. All right, men! I need two volunteers to take a lot of mines and line the entire north side 40 meters from here. We'll cover you, so all you really need to do is set the mines and run faster than the Tigers and Hoppers."

"1st Lieutenant Doug Barovsky, Sir!"

One man shakily replied. He looked nervous, sweating profusely.

"1st Lieutenant Stan Traneska, sir!"

Another man rang out confidently. He smiled.

"...Alright, men. Get the mines and go! You have five minutes. All other units gather at the North wall! MOVE IT!"

Doug and Stan ran to the munitions dump, quickly grabbing armfuls of high-powered explosives and running out of the base.

"Sir, we have the explosives."

Doug reported.

"Alright, then. On my mark, get out there. I want 10 men to get a lock on those Hoppers and keep an eye on them. Everyone else, get ready to open fire on the rest."

The bugs moved slightly up the hill, and everyone could hear the screeching that they made.

"NOW! GO!"

Doug and Stan quickly ran out of the outpost and ran to the designated line, quickly setting mines. The bugs moved slightly down the hill, and they became much quieter.

"They got quieter? Strange...oh crap. GUYS, YOU MAY WANT TO HURRY! THEY MAY ATTACK ANY SECOND!"

"You heard that? Come on! Move quicker!"

"Fine, fine. Just a second...done. Let's get out of here!" The two soldiers ran back to base. And just in time. The bugs started moving. It looked like the entire hill was moving.

"Alright, men. Open fire when they set off the mines."

The bugs moved faster, descending the hill at a fast rate.

"Damn it, I hope we can survive this..."

Mikel was firing from his foxhole into the swarm.

"Damn it SHIN GET ON THAT DAMN TURRET"

He was shaking as the alarm went out, after staying up all night trying to make some fortifications. He saw the two men run out and plant something into the ground. He picked up his gun and aimed for where the bugs were, or weren't, they were all over the place.

"Sir, Snipers one, two, and three, ready to fire on your mark, over."

Celab said over his COMP, flicking on his Heat Vision visor, and looked into his scope.

"I estimate there's at least five thousand bugs, sir. We're going to need heavy weapons, and a few clever ideas."

"Permission to fire"

Mikel returned to firing into the bug swarms.

Three cracks were heard as bugs started to fall, the snipers aiming for the bigger targets, and trying to keep them heading for the mines.

Leah and Shino hoped onto 2 different turrets and started firing into the horde of bugs.

As Shinoskay was shooting at the bugs one instead of being blown away fell forward and destroyed his mounted gun fell to the ground. At first he was still able to use it but it quickly became to heavy to use.

"Shit"

Due to the lack of cover the bugs started to get closer to Leah, Shinoskay noticed this.

"DAMN"

Shinoskay pulls out his shotgun and machine gun to composite and starts to fire off. Shinoskay's machine gun quickly jammed and his shot gun ran out of ammo

"WHAT, NO, NO, NO, NO."

Leah was quickly being hard pressed.

"No"

Shinoskay pulls out his pistol and runs at the bugs.

"BACK THE FUCK UP"

Shinoskay jumped up and on top of the bug closest to Leah and quickly shot it in the stem.

"Its not over yet."

Shinoskay jumps from one bug to the next as they're now trying to stop him and he avoids strike after strike from pure luck as if something higher where guiding his movement. He was blowing away the bugs near Leah one after the other as she was still shooting away. A bug finally hooks him through the leg and he screamed out in pain. It wasn't the bug he was on so he still shot the bug he was on but couldn't do anything about the one that had him. It pulls him off and started to drag him off through the swarm off the bugs. A bug could be seen dieing here and there and his pistol could be heard here and there as he was not giving up till his head was disconnected from his body or he lost his arm and could no longer shoot. Suddenly a scream was herd from inside the swarm as just that happened meaning both actually happened and he was torn apart.

"MOTHER FUCKERS"

Then another scream is herd from the ranks of the marines.

"BRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOTHHHHHHHERRR"

A rocket was launched into the bugs.

"YOU MOTHER FUCKERS, YOU KILLED MY BROTHER. YOU KILLED MY BROTHER."

The marine slid down the wall and ran to where Shinoskay was positioned and started to shoot an mk6 off at the bug plowing them down.

"SHIN!!!!!"

Mikel jumped over the top of his foxhole. And fired into the swarm with his mk6 bug after bug after bug fell to the ground as the ammo exploded on impact until they backed up till you could see shins body. Mikel lifted shins head from the ground.

"SHIN! SAY SOMETHING TROOPER! SHIN! THATS AN ORDER!"

Leah watched Shinoskay jump on the dead bug next to her turret.

"Shino get some cover now!"

She was focus on trying to keep Shinoskay covered all of a sudden she heard Shinoskay scream. Her head snapped over to him and saw him starting to get dragged off. She meant to grab his hand, but she couldn't reach him in time. Her fire was aimed at where the bug was dragging him off until finally she heard him scream.

"NOOOOO! SHINOSKAY!"

Leah grabbed her mk4 and jumped out of her foxhole and followed mike to where Shinoskay's body was. She knelled and grabbed his hand _'You idiot you knew I could have handled those bugs. Why did you do that? WHY!'_

Shinoskay looked up at Mikel as he struggled to keep his eyes opened, his guts hang from his body and his lower half was missing. A bug's leg stuck out of his chest.

"Thoughs FUCKING basterds, tell Leah I said stay,"

He coughs up blood.

"Alive and tell my sister I said I'm sorry."

He coughs up more blood then the light in his eyes disapper as he dies. Shinoskay falls limp and the bugs move back in to attack Mikel. The marine that ran to Shinoskay position shot at them to cover Mikel, tears ran from the marine's eyes and were only noticed when they escaped the marines goggles.

"Shino I'm right here just stay alive ok!"

His body goes limp she then let's go of his hand. She stands and starts to fire into the horde of bugs coming straight for Mike, herself, and this mystery trooper. Her vision starts to blur from the tears falling and she keeps firing.

The bugs start to retreat somewhat and start to circle the base at a distance to try and find a weakness. They had killed that day and lost too many to make it satisfying so they wanted to try and find another week point. The marine's gun had ran out of ammo but she still fired at the bugs as if there were ammo, her goggles where half full of tears. After a moment or so she fell to her knees. She let go of the gun with her left hand but still held the trigger tightly with her right.

She released the trigger when the bugs moved away. She looked to Shinoskay's body and the young woman sitting on her knees. Leah knelled and half hoisted and half dragged Shinoskay's body.

The bugs began to retreat again into holes in the ground. Mikel got up and looked at the marauders. His hands where in a fist. Mike opened his pouch and wrapped up Shinoskay and lifted him up. Drop ships landed 20 minutes later to lift the marauders to the fleet. Shinoskay's body was now in a coffin now ready to be launched into space. Everyone was in officer uniforms and standing in formation and some troopers trying to hide their tears. Mikel stepped forward.

"We all gather together to say goodbye to trooper 210405. Shinoskay. He was a brave man. Fought all odds to protect his fellow troopers and friends."

Mikel was trying to stop from crying.

"He gave his life to protect me...Leah...and everyone else... He was a true soldier... a trooper...a hero of the federation..."

Mikel saluted as so did the others as Shinoskay's coffin was blasted into space. With 1 other trooper playing the trumpet...

"Good bye Shinoskay... we will never forget your sacrifice..."

She lifted her shaking hand in a salute to a true soldier.

"Goodbye Shinoskay... We'll never forget you."

When the coffin was no longer in view she turned her head and let the tears fall.

The female marine stood behind everyone and clenched her fists; she was crying still and hadn't stopped since she started when he died.

"Brother, it was my birthday. Why did you do that."

The bugs were all gone or dead as troopers scavenged the battlefield. In the distance, he could see ships landing and then lifting off again. He sighed wondering what happened to the marauders. He hoped that they were doing all right, and lay down against the walls to sleep like he had before they left.

When she turned her head she saw the young woman crying. Leah recognized her from the battle and this young woman who was the same trooper that said that Shinoskay was her brother. Leah walked over to her and said, "I'm very sorry that you lost your brother."

The woman looked up at Leah, she barley muttered through her crying.

"Ar-are yo-you Leah."

"Yeah I'm Leah. And you are?"

"I-I'm terra. Shi-shi- my bro t-told me ab-about yo-you i-in a le-letter."

Terra flings at Leah and hugs her tightly, her crying picks up a bit.

"I was suppose to see him yesterday, h-he was co-coming t-to me f-for m-my bir-birthday. H-he sent me a pre-present in ad-advance."

She hugs Leah slightly tighter.

She returns the hug.

"Its alright. He was a good friend and fellow marauder."

She releases Terra and salutes.

Terra also released and quickly wiped her tears, terra saluted back. Terra then leaned back against the wall and placed her right hand on the middle of her left arm. Terra's rocket launcher and mk6 where on either side of her.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Finishing This Fight 

Mikel was on the bridge of the ship with the admiral. Mikel saluted

"Sir"

The man shook his hand.

Admiral: "Captain. I... am deeply sorry for your loss. It was a great sacrifice"

"I know sir."

Admiral: "But I do regret to inform you that the marauders are going down to Capricorn one last time."

"What now sir. Another mission that will get a few more of my troopers killed?" The admiral frowned at the remark.

Admiral: "No captain. We have tanks and exo suits coming in all day. We're going underground. Straight to the bug capitol. We're capturing the brain bug and killing the rest. At any cost."

Mikel looked at both his metallic arms

"Alright. Send us down."

Mikel saluted the admiral and left the bridge. A few minutes later Mikel entered the room with the rest of the marauders.

Trooper: "OFFICER ON DECK!"

The marauders stood to attention.

When the order was given out she spun around and stood at attention facing Mike.

Terra walked over to Mikel.

"Sir, I ask to move to your squad."

Mikel looked at the new trooper and grunted.

"Back in line marine. TROOPERS. We are heading back down to Capricorn for one final assignment. This will be an assault bigger then the first big K. Now the bugs may be Mass in numbers. But we got the weapons. The ships and the war machines to do it. NOW ARE WE GONNA SHOW ARE BACKS TO THE BUGS!?"

Troopers: "HELL NO!"

"WE ARE GOING IN AS FIRST WAVE! YOU SMASH EVERYTHING IN THE AREA YOU KILL ANYTHING THAT HAS MORE THEN TWO LEGS DO YOU GET ME!?

Troopers: "WE GET YOU SIR!"

"NOW GET PACKING!"

Troopers: "HOOORAH!"

Celab Loaded a fresh clip into his sniper rifle, and then loaded a clip into his normal rifle as well, shouldering his sniper. He pulled down his visor and flicked it on; the vision set to normal, and saluted when he heard the trooper shout.

"HOOORAH!"

_'Shino I'm going to kill every one those fucking bugs.'_

3000 plus drop ships were in the hanger with news reporters all around.

Reporter: "This is a massive invasion with over a MILLON soldiers and counting. Everyone's here the Roughnecks, Bug zappers, Volunteers, The 301st vellond. Even the legendary Marauders are jumping into the fray. Here looks like a young lad who could kill a hundred bugs how are you sir?"

Trooper: "My big bro was on Klendathu and now he's bug food I say KILL THEM ALL!" The reporter noticed Mikel and walked to him.

Reporter: "What do you think? How is this going to go?"

Mikel looked at him in disgust.

"How bout you grab a rifle and see for yourself."

Reporter: "Wha... what do you mean?"

"I mean all you reporters do is sit back and laugh while troopers die down there."

Reporter: "yo...your right. Ladies and gentle men if this is my last time reporting I'd like to say good-bye. The reporter ran into the armory to strap up. The alarm went off for docking. "COME ON YOU APES DO YOU WANT TO LIVE FOR EVER!!!"

She glared at the reporters as they scurried around asking questions then one came up to her and said.

"Here is the first female. Miss what do you do for the troops? Are you a medic?"

She grabbed the reporter by the shirt and lifted him off the ground about 3 inches. She glared at him

"I'm a Marauder and I'm going to kill every bug down on that fucking hellhole." She dropped the reporter right on his ass and turned to walk away when he asked

"Miss why do you want to do all this fighting?" She turned around and glared at him.

"I'm fighting because I lost a friend to those damn bugs and I hate them all!" She turned grabbing her gun and pulling on her helmet following all the others to the drop ships.

The drop ships where in orbit.

Pilot: "30 SECONDS!"

Troopers: "HOORAH!"

When the drop ships hit the ground they met up with a group of 2,000 tanks, 3,000 exo suits and 60 fighters.

"Alright everyone time to get into the fronts!"

Millions of troopers where running past motor tanks that where firing rockets into a giant mountain as bugs peak out just to get obliterated. The troopers stopped at a giant hill and peered down.

"Mmm...ya smell that...nothings better then freshly cooked bug at 12:00 pm."

A scout ran up the hill and met up with an older captain. His insignia said roughneck. He was none other then the famous Rico who took over the roughnecks after his superior died.

Rico: "What did you see?"

Scout: "kssshhht about a million and a half sir. All but one is warriors. They seem to be lead by a tiger with a few scars and bullet holes."

Mikel heard and remembered when they first landed on Capricorn that a tiger knocked him to the ground but was startled by the bullets and fled.

Scout: "Also 4 tankers and a few dozen hoppers. The bug zapper really tore them up yesterday."

Rico: "Alright scout."

Rico picked up the radio from a Comp trooper

Rico: "This lieutenant Rico. Launch operation bug stomp."

20 troopers ran up with 10 TAC launchers and TAC missiles. They loaded them up and banged the carrier on the head.

Rico: "Fire...NOW."

The tack nukes fired into the mountain disintegrating bugs a throwing some of them to their deaths.

Rico: "CHAAAARRRGGEE!"

The troopers placed bayonets on there rifles and yelled and ran down the hill with tanks and exo suits zooming past them

Celab jumped up into an open Exo-suit, and sat down, closing the hatch, and started walking towards the bugs, his guns firing off at the bugs.

Terra walked off the drop ship wielding not just her rocket launcher on her back and her mk6 in hand, but also Shinoskay shoty on back and his Mk also on back. Terra walked through the crowd slightly faster then the rest of the troopers, she looked as if that if anyone so much as looked at her they'd get the butt end of her gun. Terra quickly reached the back of the first wave. _'If he wont give me permission, I'll sneak in his troop. I'm gonna end this, for my brother._

Right when the door of the drop ship opened about 3 feet from the ground Leah jumped out and was followed by a few others they charged ahead firing at the swarm. Stopping when twenty troopers with launchers came up they covered these other troopers. When the tack nukes exploded and the smoke cleared she charged with the other marauders down the hill into the darkness.

"ALL YOU BUGS ARE GOING TO GO STRAIGHT TO HELL!"

Terra was disguised as a male soldier and charge in near somewhere near Leah with Shinoskay mk. She unfortunately still had the mk6 the rocket launcher and the shoty on her back. Matter of fact, she look like Shinoskay only with goggles and she was 3 inches shorter.

She caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye she turned her head and practically tripped over her own footing. Right next to her was someone who she thought was Shinoskay. She blinked and realized it was not him just someone who looked liked him.

"What's your name soldier?"

Terra looked at Leah and hesitated while running and almost followed Leah in her trip, Terra quickly sucked in some air but quickly released it as she turned to keep running. If you could have seen Terra's eyes they where wide as hell, Terra quickly kept going, as the marauders weren't stopping.

She kept up with the rest of the marauders. Firing all the way.

Mikel thrusted his bayonet into a bug and pulled the trigger on his gun. The first time in history troopers where winning against bugs in hand to hand combat. A trooper beside Mikel was lifted from the ground and cut down by the bugs. Mikel fired into the swarm and jabbed at any that got close.

"MARAUDERS! LINE UP AND FIRE!"

Marauders in the crowed of troopers lined up and fired morita mk2's and 4's into the crowed of bugs killing a lot in the process.

Celab fired over Mike's head, killing nearby bugs, and cleared a line for him. He walked up behind his Captain and gave him covering fire, and saved a few other men as well.

"Here they come!"

"There's too many!"

The bugs had started to move, rushing down the hill at high speeds. The Hoppers flew over the base and circled, swooping in to try and take men out.

"GRENADES!"

Dozens of grenades flew in the air, landing among the bugs. The bugs were ripped apart and blown away from the explosions, but they still kept coming. Then they reached the mines. BOOM! More bugs were blown apart. But they kept advancing.

"OPEN FIRE!"

The men aimed at the bugs and fired, shredding the ones that were hit to pieces. But they kept advancing. The remaining bugs broke down one of the barricade walls, and the true battle began. The bugs swarmed the Marines, killing men one after another.

"STOP IT, YOU ASSHOLES!"

Blanc fired, killing a few Warrior bugs. They looked at him, and all of them attacked Blanc.

"Shit!"

He ran backwards, firing at the bugs.

"You cowards! DIE!"

The other marines fired on the bugs, wiping out all of them except for a Tiger and a Hopper, which flew into the air. Blanc aimed his rifle at the Tiger, but it smacked the rifle out of his hands and rammed into him, sending him flying into the air. The Hopper flew towards him and smacked him back towards the ground. He slammed into the ground hard on his back, and coughed up blood. He tried to get back up, but the Tiger bug pinned him to the ground. He thought he could see something in the Tiger's eyes, then felt nothing as it ripped his head from his body. His last thought was _'No one, not even me, is...invincible...' _Shortly after, the men wasted the Tiger and Hopper. But it was too late.

"NOOOOO!!!" Doug Barovsky yelled into the air.

How dare these bugs, these FREAKS kill his commander? He was angry. He was a coward, but now was not the time to be afraid. Now was the time...to FIGHT.

Leah charged with the rest of the Marauders alittle bit of ahead of the others and fired. The bullets ripping apart warriors and tearing through the armor of tigers.

Late to get off, Galig already saw the Marauders. He turned to the new lieutenant.

"What should we do sir?"

He was hoping to kill some bugs, he just awaited the order.

Terra bent down and got on one hand, she pulled the trigger to her rocket launcher and mk6 that where both still strapped to her back and blew away at several dozen bugs. When she was half way through her clip and the line was moving forward she got up and started firing off with both Shinoskay's Mk and his shoty. Terra pushed a button on the side of her helmet and a voice over was activated.

"DIE YOU MOTHER FUCKERS."

It sounded exactly like Shinoskay's voice. A few marauders nearby stared at what looked like a smaller version of Shinoskay while doing a half ass job at firing. _'Crap, I forgot to change the tone. I guess this is what you get when you miss your bro and he gets killed by hells spawn'_

"That's ok, I'll send them back to hell where they belong."

Leah stopped firing at the bugs when she heard Shinoskay's voice. "Sh-Shinoskay?" She saw out of the corner of her eye a warrior coming up at her. She turned and was about to fire when the warrior closed in on her and stabbed her in the leg the warrior's claw going all the way through. She screamed in pain and started to fire at the warrior's claw trying to make it let go.

"I'm not going to die!"

She shoved her gun in the mother fucker's throat and fired.

Terra heard Leah's cry from the bug and shot it with her shotgun.

"You ok?"

Leah pushed the bug off of her the claw coming out she winced from the pain. She knew someone was going to drag her out of there before she could finish the fight. She half knelt and half stood as she kept firing.

"Yeah."

Terra didn't want to stop killing but also didn't want Shinoskay's friend to die. She side stepped to Leah and hooked her arm around Leah's waist. Terra was shooting with both guns while dragging Leah back.

"Are you sure?"

Leah shoved him away getting mad.

"Yes I'm fine."

She wobbled but put her good leg down to give herself enough support at the same time kept firing at the bugs.

Terra was slightly shocked but then shook it off. She kept firing and moved back to where she was so Mikel wouldn't notice her, she didn't want to get caught till they were further down.

Leah keeps firing while grabbing her stem pack, shooting herself in the leg with a needle to stop the bleeding and the pain. She could still feel some of the pain which really hurt like hell. _'Ow...Mother fucker that hurts.'_

Celab heard a scream, and turned his suit towards it, seeing an ally in pain with a bleeding leg. He walked his suit over to her, and blew away nearby bugs, and said on the speakers.

"Hey, you could use this thing more than I could. Hop in."

As he opened the hatch, firing at the bugs, and held out his hand to Leah.

A line of MK6's was formed in the front as bugs backed away and fell over the bullets

"PUSH!"

The troopers kept pushing at the bugs stepping closer each round. The scarred bug let out a giant roar and the rest ran back into bug city. The troopers cheered.1 hour after the fight troopers were pushing over bugs to try and find corpses and survivors. Mikel went up top on a exo suit and opened the hatch, the trooper on the inside handed him a mic.

"Marauders report to sector 2/8 on the double"

Leah grabbed his hand pulling herself into the gattalling gun position. For the next hour she fired killing so many bugs she lost count. When she heard the order she waited for Celab to move the suit.

Celab turned the suit around, walking it to the area where they were told to meet. He looked at Leah's leg,

"We need to get you to a Medic. That leg could become infected soon, and that stem should be wearing off soon..."

Her eye twitch from the pain that she had been trying to ignore for the last five minutes "It wore off five minutes ago. Damn that hurts!"

"Oh no, they're reporting, there's probably gonna be a sound off to see how many survived. I hope my brother's voice doesn't give me away, I sure as hell can't use my own."

Terra followed the marauders but try's to stay with a group keeping silent.

Doug was injured in the battle. Nothing serious, but it does hurt when a bug bites your left arm and the teeth rip right through the whole damn thing. And damn if he wasn't bleeding like a water faucet. He grabbed a stem and shoved it in his arm and injecting it, killing the pain.

"Medic, I could use a little help here if you aren't busy."

The medic ran over and wrapped his arm where he was bit, effectively wrapping it up and sealing the wound, but it hurt as he tightened the wrap.

"Argh! That hurt."

The medic looked up unworried.

"I'm just doing my job, sir"

Before he ran off to help a few more men. Doug looked around. All around the men in his platoon were prepping for battle, some of them getting into exo suits and moving out, already given the orders. All of a sudden, the radio that Doug took from Blanc crackled.

_"Blanc, Blanc, come in. Blanc, can you hear me?"_

Doug picked up the radio.

"Sir, this is 1st Lieutenant Doug Barovsky. 2nd Lieutenant Blanc was killed."

A calm voice came back through the radio.

_"Really? Dammit. Alright. Doug Barovsky, By the authority of the Earth Fleet, You are now the leader. Expect a promotion when you get back."_

Doug just blinked. Him, a leader?

"Sir, you sure that someone like me if fit to lead? I'm only a soldier..."

A harsh voice shot back.

_"A soldier who is now a leader! Get with it! You are hereby declared Leader of the Earth Fleet marines!"_

"Sir, I hate to do this, but isn't the commander here also MY commander? And therefore, shouldn't HE decide whether or not I lead?"

Doug was shocked at this recent assignment. How could HE be a leader? The Sergeant simply replied

_"Fine, If you don't want to be leader, then do me a favor: Take this radio and give it to the commander of the outpost."_

"Yes, sir!"

Doug looked around, but didn't see Mikel. He walked to the tents, hoping to find him.

"That was a hell of a fight."

Galig thought to himself. He got a cut on his arm, but was able to get it bandaged. He sat down on the ground and just looked up at the stars, wondering what they were going to do next.

Mikel was addressing the troopers in the marauders.

"Troopers.. We have one final mission before the Capricorn campaign is over. The brain bug on this planet seems…. smarter then most brain bugs. He knows our weaknesses and what we fear. There is only one thing to do. We must capture this bug and examine it at federation HQ. Now this won't be as hard as usual since the bugs have been cut down to thousands instead of millions. But if you don't think your up for this mission. Join the roughnecks. They could use the help of some elite."

Mikel noticed a smaller trooper in the line. He approached her and took off her helmet. He stared at her.

"Your Shinoskay's sister.."

Celab opened up the hatch and picked Leah up, jumping out.

"Hey, we need a Medic over here!"

He yelled out as he shifted the weight to his legs, and looked around for a medic.

Terra's eyes widened and quickly corrected herself and saluted,

"Sir, yes sir"

A medic ran to Leah and Caleb's position. Mikel grabbed terra by the collar and smashed her against the wall.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH TROUBLE THE MARAUDERS COULD GET INTO WITH YOU AROUND"

Terra winced then recovered.

"Sir, I wanted to fight, I wanted to fight as a marauder in the end, for my brother. I wanted to take his place in your squad and kill these basterds from hell. I wanted to fight as my brother to allow him and not me to end this."

Celab placed Leah down against a wall and pointed to Leah's leg, telling the Medic what happened as far as he knew.

"She had a Stim, but wore off a few minutes ago."

He said, and grabbed their guns out of the Battle suit.

"You're a tough soldier... Leah, was it?"

She winced when he set her down against the wall nodding to his question.

"Yes sir."

Mikel let go of terra but pushed her away.

"Don't screw up. I'm not gonna help you if you do..."

Mikel loaded his rifle up again.

"ALRIGHT TROOPERS WE'RE GOING UNDER!"

Mikel dropped into a giant hole and set off his jet before he fell to the ground. Trooper after trooper dropped down and turned on their flashlights.

"Stay close marauders"

Terra fallowed and hooked a grapple hook on the edge of the top of the whole as she dropped slowing her fall and allowing others to use it. _'Good, so I'm in this to the end.'_ terra stay's no farther then a soldier or two from Mikel as he was in the lead.

Galig propelled down the hole with the other troopers. _'Now I wish I brought a flashlight. I wonder what's going to be down there besides giant killer bugs.'_ He entered the darkness, unknowing of what was in it.

Celab turned around and put Leah's rifle next to her, against the wall, and sighed.

"Your also a good Gunner. Since you may have to stay off that leg, why don't you stay with me for a while as my gunner? It'd be better than being used as a backpack." Staring at the hole.

"Damn, moving out already..."

She pushed herself up the wall until she was fully standing/leaning against it.

"Yes sir."

Terra turned on her helmet light to see down the tunnel.

"...All right then. I guess I'm gonna go with Mikel and find the Brain Bug. Everyone that was under Commander Blanc, I can't give you orders. It's your choice to either stay here or follow Mikel. Hell, I don't know why I'm saying this. I am not a leader."

Doug was a bit nervous. How many men would go with him to the tunnels? Every man counted, and everything was coming down to the wire. Some men positioned themselves around the outpost, while others stayed put. Out of the 2 dozen men, only 12 decided to stay. Galig had already gone, so that left 11 men to go, including Doug.

"...Alright then. This may be the last time we ever see the light."

They ran to the cave and propelled themselves down. They reached the bottom, turning their flashlights on.

"Damn. It's dark in here." Doug pointed his flashlight around, shining it on some men who were about to start moving.

"Err...sorry."

They moved through the cave, keeping an eye on the walls. They didn't know if the bugs could dig through walls or not. Then they saw other flashlights and a dark figure behind them.

"Who the...probably someone who didn't get a light."

Doug shook his head and ran up to the soldier.

"Hey, why don't you have a flashlight?"

The man jumped, and aimed his rifle at Doug's head.

"Whoa. Put the rifle down...oh, it's you, Galig. Been looking for ya. I noticed you didn't have a light, so I have one here. Have it."

Doug took the flashlight out of his pack and gave it to Galig.

"Thanks."

Turning it on, light filling the dark tunnel. He then set the flashlight in his helmet and ran off, trying to catch up with the Marauders.

"All right, then. Let's catch up with Mikel."

Doug sprinted down the tunnel, with the other men following closely behind.

Mikel was in the front. His mk6 still aiming into the shrouding darkness. Mikel heard a noise and stationed himself. The noise was getting closer and closer. Mikel cringed at the thought of what was coming, maybe a scout to give away there position or a warrior that may get the chance to kill a man or two or a tanker? That would make his day. It wasn't any of those. Instead it was a tiny worker bug that just moved around there feet chattering and scurrying to find some food. Mikel let out a sigh and kept marching. But then a warrior bug tunneled itself from the walls, let out a terrifying screeched and charge. Mikel let off 3 shots from his mk6 and brought it down.

"Damn that probably woke up the hive ALLRIGHT TROOPERS DOUBLE TIME!"

Mikel started running down the tunnel with his machine gun still in front.

Galig heard the screech and gunshots from up ahead. He quickened his pace and kept following the rest of the troops. He passed across the warrior's corpse, _'That's not good.'_

Terra readies her mk6 as she ran next to Mikel with her helmet light flashing down the tunnel.

The tunnel finally ended in a hive filled with warriors and in the middle a giant brain bug. It rose its head in the Marauders direction and roared. The warriors saw them and made there way up the hill.

"FIRE!"

Mikel and the other troopers fired into the swarm dropping some of them down the hill.

Terra immediately launched a rocket shot at the bugs near the brain bug, it was almost close enough to damage it but all that happened was it was forced to roll over

"Roll, over brainiac."

'_I'm gonna torture the lot of them'_ She then started to fire away with Shinoskay's shoty and her mk6.

The Clanking of the Exosuit was heard as Celab and Leah walked up behind the group, and turned on the lights of the suit.

"Sorry for the wait!"

terra shot a few rounds of mk6 near the brain bug causing it to shriek.

"That's it basterds! SCREAM!"

Galig ran behind an Exosuit and opened fire.

"Eat this you buggy little bastards!"

Celab saw the Brain bug scream, and saw who did it, and grabbed the Marine's gun, lifting it away from them.

"HOLD YOUR DAMN FIRE! We have to take it alive, damn it!"

"Hey, give me that back." Terra climb atop the Exosuit and tried to grab the gun back.

Celab grabbed his rifle and aimed it through the glass, clicking the safety off.

"Marine, get OFF the suit, calm the hell down, or you will jeopardize the mission! Leah, help me out here!"

Terra jumped off the top and grabbed a hold of the arm and gun and immediately started to pries it out of the machines grip.

He looked at the marine that suddenly jumped onto the Exosuit.

"Uh, I think you should be getting off their sir."

Celab turned on his COM to Mike's,

"Sir, we have a Marine going AWOL, and trying to KILL the Brain. I have taken her weapon to keep the mission safe, but she's climbing around on the suit! She's not listening to anything I say, and she almost has the gun back. I hate to say it, but permission the neutralize her?"

Terra continued to struggle to get her gun.

Galig climbed onto the Exosuit,

"I think you should get off of the suit sir."

He got a better look at the marine now.

"Oh! I mean ma'am."

He took his gun and resumed firing at the bugs.

"Marine let go of the damn gun and calm the fuck down! We have to take the brain alive! Do you get me?!" Leah glares at the trooper.

Terra dangled from her gun while it was still held by the machine and stared at the machine as if she had just been slapped.

"Sorry everyone."

Then she dropped down and raised her hands to the gun.

"Can I please have the gun back, I'll be good now."

Galig jumped from the Exosuit now that it was over.

"You remind me of someone. Barely knew him, but from what I do know, you remind me of him."

Terra didn't know whom he meant but she awaited her gun.

Leah just rolled her eyes and kept firing.

Celab clicked on the safety, and lowered the pincher back to the Marine.

"If you try to destroy the brain again, though, you should expect to be Court martial and arrested."

He crushed the head of a nearby warrior as if a warning to Terra.

Terra took her gun and smiled, then started blasting bugs with a look of pure hatred.

Doug ran through the tunnels. He heard gunfire, so he quickened his pace, sprinting to the source of the gunfire. He came out and saw the other platoons already fighting the bugs and the Brain bug was immobile, as it was so big.

"Damn, that's a lot of bugs." Some of the soldiers nodded in agreement.

"And there's the Brain. Don't shoot it, though. Just wipe out the bugs."

There were bugs all over the place, trying to kill the marines already fighting in there. All over the ground were a few soldiers, dead or wounded, and bugs killed by the gunfire. Doug and the men with him opened fire on the bugs as well, making sure not to hit the brain or any of the humans.

The bugs stopped trying to over run the troopers and moved backwards. They all let out giant screeches and the last Tiger of the hive emerged from the crowd. It was the same that got away during the beginning of the campaign. It still had the scars to prove it. It made another screech and just stood there. 

Trooper: "He's challenging our leader..."

Mikel grunted and handed his gun to the trooper. He walked forward and tightened the muscle of his robotic arms.

"Lets do this then"

'_Grrr, I wanted to fight.'_ A look of great discontent show's on Terra's face.

Leah stops firing and just watches the captain as he walked up. At the same time watching the trooper that had tried to kill the brain bug.

"Guys, stop firing. They've stopped..."

The bugs had fallen back, except for a Tiger, which had challenged Mikel to a fight.

"I have a bad feeling about this..."

Doug gripped his rifle harder, making sure not to drop it. _'Commander Blanc was killed by one of those things...I just hope Mikel knows what he's doing...'_ Doug is sweating profusely and shaking uncontrollably. He took a deep breath and exhaled, and quickly gave hand signals to the others, telling them to aim at the other bugs just in case they go berserk. They moved quickly and silently, all of them aiming at the bugs behind the Tiger.

"It's all up to you now, Mikel..."

Mikel raised his arms in boxing like position. The bug let out a screech that sounded like a chuckle and started to move forward. Its two claws raised high in a swinging like formation. Mikel stepped forward and the bug strikes with both its claws. Mikel stepped to the side and jabbed his fist into the side of the bug's top jaw cutting into it. The bug screeched and smacked Mikel with the back of its claw sending him flying into the troopers. Two troopers helped him up.

Trooper: "You can do this sir.. don't give up."

Mikel wiped the blood from his mouth and moved forward again. Mikel walked forward again and the bug charged at him. He quickly grabbed the two claws that tried to stab him and started to bend them around. The bug looked almost amazed at the troopers power as Mikel got both claws into one hand and began to punch the bug in the side of the jaw again then letting go and jack hammering it from down to up sending it to its side. The bug got up again and let out another roar. It swung one claw and jabbed it into Mikel's right shoulder. Mikel cringed in pain as it sneered through his shoulder. He grabbed the claw with one hand and smashed it with the other snapping it in half. Mikel tore the claw out and dropped it to the ground. The bug charged in complete rage and got its bottom jaw under Mikel and its top jaw over him. But Mikel dropped his foot on its bottom jaw and got its top in a headlock like formation and started to pull. The struggle seemed like it could make Satan cower as both adversaries yelled in the struggle. The bugs jaw slowly moved upwards as it got further from its bottom. The bug screeched in pain as Mikel put one arm on top of the bug and pushed from both bottom and top and tore the jaw off the bug. The bug screamed even louder. Mikel yelled in a bloodthirsty roar and swung the jaw into the nerve stem of the bug. The bug started to stutter and stagger as it yelped. It's blood poring from its side. It made the normal squirming and fell down. Life less. The troopers looked in disbelief then the Cheers of victory echoed though out the hole.

Leah's jaw dropped seeing all of this and then she was the first one to start cheering everyone joining her.

Terra stayed ready incase the bugs decided to take advantage of this opportunity to attack or something else happed, she stayed ready for anything to happen.

Celab cheered, and yelled out,

"I knew that son of a bitch could do it! Hahah!"

He made his exosuit's pincher move up, punching the air, but ended up dragging the body of the bug he crushed earlier up with him.

"Uh... ew, that's kind of nasty..."

He said as he shook it off.

The bugs started to back away and scrambled for the nearest hole to hide. Except the brain bug who wasn't fast enough to get away. Mikel shot the taser charged into its side and other troopers swarmed around it tying it up with ropes… Mikel smiled and put up his microphone.

"This is captain Mikel kern...We got him"

Cheers were heard from the microphone.

Operator: _"ROGER THAT MARAUDERS NOW GET YOUR ASSES OUT HERE!"_

"Crap, now I'm gonna hear it from the other squad's."

Terra looks at the exit.

"Well, at least you could be here brother, I made it possible, maybe not in spirit or mind, but some believed it was you and so, you were here in the end."

She smiled and started walking towards the exit.

Galig let out a cheer as he headed towards the exit. This campaign was over, _'And this was all for you brother.'_ He thought as he smiled. He was glad to be going back, these bugs were driving him crazy. He looked towards what would happen next, _'This is going to be hell.'_ He thought, but what else was he supposed to expect?

Celab laughed in enjoyment, cheering. He brought the Exo-suit to the Brain-bug, putting the mechanical power of it to use, and helped some marines lift it up and move it, using the pinchers gently to keep it up.

"Hey, Leah, put the safety on the guns. We don't want it to go off and kill the bug." he said to his co-pilot.

Terra started to cry as she walked to the hole and climbed the cord as she left the exit.

She flicked on the safety of the guns she grinned "Yes sir."


	6. Chapter 6

Aftermath 

They climbed out of the hole with the brain bug in a giant net. 12 troopers where pulling on it. The troopers cheering and firing into the air.

Trooper: "WE CAN FINALLY LEAVE THIS HELL HOLE!"

News reporters were on the ground now.

Reporter: "Yes sir. With the brain bug captured the bug city will slowly die due to confusion and conflicts between the bugs. Then Capricorn can return to its rightful glory as a paradise… Wait is that Jim?"

Mikel looked at a trooper with PVC marked on his shoulder.

"Your that news reporter from the executor?"

The trooper smiled and saluted. He had 3 scars now when before his face was clean.

Jim: "Yes sir."

Mikel saluted back and took off his helmet and dropped it to the ground. He sat on a rock he pulled out a cigar from his pocket and grabbed a beer from a supply pod in the middle of the party.

Celab opened up the exo-suit and helped Leah out, nodding.

"Your a great soldier, Leah. I'll see if I can get you a promotion."

He smiled, and walked over to Mikel, and saluted.

"Sir, I wanted to say Congratulations for defeating that Tiger in Hand-to-claw combat, and hope to fight along side you again someday, if we ever have another war to fight."

He held his hand out to Mikel.

Mikel smiled with the cigar in his mouth and shook his hand then saluted.

"I think this will set back the bugs a lot. There are over 1000 planets in the galaxy. And we'll take em back one by one"

"Thank you sir."

She pulled off her helmet letting her brown hair fall down. Leah glanced over to Mike and Celab.

"If the Marauders are going to take back those planets," she grinned, "Those bugs don't got a chance in hell."

She turned away from the two men. All of a sudden she felt dizzy and started to fall. She heard Mike and Celab yell her name as she fell. She opened her eyes a few minutes later, but no one was around except for a figure in the distance.

"Hello?"

The person turned and she saw it was Shinoskay.

"Shino?!"

He smiled and held open his arms and she ran into them.

"Shino I've missed you."

"I have too."

She felt the tears fall.

"You would have been so proud of your sister. She did great."

"I'm glad she did well, but I'm glad your safe."

"Shino I-"

He pushed her away and put two fingers on her lips. He pulled back the fingers and kissed her. He slowly pulled back and while his mouth was near her ear he whispered,

"I know and its time for you to go back."

She stared at him with a confuse look on her face.

"I-I-I died."

"Yes that leg got infected and your body got so exhausted it temporality died. But I'll always be with you."

"Wait Shi-"

She felt extreme pain on her chest she opened her eyes and saw her fellow Marauders surrounding her and other troopers there was a medic right above her about to shock her again. Her eyes widen and she yelled.

"WAIT!"

Everybody froze then they were cheering. Mike pulled her up and wrapped a blanket around her chest.

"God we almost lost you. Why didn't you tell anybody besides Celab and Terra that you were mortally wounded. The medic says you may have a piece of a bug in your leg."

"I thought I could fight."

"Bull shit you almost broke Shinoskay's promise."

The medic came up and started to help Leah to the drop ship.

"You can finish talking with Corpol Feaster when she is better."

"I'm fine."

"No your not."

She sighed and started to limp towards the drop ship.

"Wait Corporal." She turned to face Mike.

"Yes sir."

He chuckled.

"You don't have to call me that just call me Mike and I think you don't need to me a corporal you are now lieutenant."

"Thanks Mike."

"No problem now get on that drop ship and get better."

She chuckled and turned toward the drop ship and walked on it followed by the rest of the marauders.

It was over. The Brain Bug was finally secured, and Mikel had smashed a Tiger Bug in the process. The Brain Bug had been taken to Earth. Everyone went home after the reporters had gotten their pictures and footage of the event.

"It's finally over...it's too bad that you couldn't see it, sir..."

Doug muttered to himself.

"That's what you think. You stay safe, okay?"

Doug jumped. He thought he heard the deceased Commander Blanc, and looked around frantically. He only saw the other Marines, some were smiling and talking loudly to others, and others were staying silent.

"Heheh...Let's go home."

Doug and the others under Blanc's command boarded the drop ships, and the drop ships fired up their engines and sped into the atmosphere, heading...for home


End file.
